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When they landed, we all stood. I winced at the purpling around one of Percy’s eyes. His red hair was long enough to pull over it if he needed to, though I was almost certain he would heal himself at one of the wells before then.
“Feather,” he said, not meeting my eyes. “You have to know, I didn’t mean to let her get so close. I’m… I’m sorry.”
Oh, shizz.An apology? That boded extremely forking ill.
“Sorry?” My voice had a bit more snap to it than usual, and he did meet my gaze then. “Why would you need to apologize? Tell me that’s not guilt in your eyes, Perception.” I stepped up to him, glaring at one of the Protectors I never once would have thought capable of betraying my trust. “Tell me you didn’t encourage my little girl to—”
“I wouldnever.Feather, I have done everything I could to protect her feelings, and make sure she knew I wasn’t interested, without hurting her.” His voice was like a violin’s bow scraping across an untuned string. Agonized. Raw. “But I failed. I’ll… I’ll have to leave.”
“Where would you go?” I asked quietly, trying to keep the panic and fear out of my tone. “Where could you go, Percy?”
He glanced at Mikhail, who shook his head gently. “We won’t be able to build any farther out on the Limen, Perception. Not for a long while.”
“That limits my options,” Perception whispered. Mikhail stared at Percy, then nodded once.
I swallowed hard, uncertain of what the two men had spoken in silence. But I trusted Mikhail more than myself, more than anyone. He would protect our daughter if it meant ending the universe for her.
Or bending it to fit her.
Perception’s shoulders sagged. “You all know I tried to be her teacher. It was fine for the first few years, but after a while, I could sense her growing attraction. I swear to you all, I never encouraged it.”
I relaxed slightly. “What do we do now?”
His brow furrowed. “Wedo nothing. I know what I need to do, though. To make her understand once and for all that I see her as a child.”
Sunny stepped up to him. “Do you, Perception? Do you see her as a child?”
“I do.” His tone was gentle, his words simple and honest. “I apologized only because I should have been more aware. She took me by surprise. I was tired.” His cheeks colored. “I wasn’t paying attention. Honestly, I think she slipped and fell into the hot spring. She seemed as shocked as I was to… be in that situation.”
Sunny grimaced. “But she took advantage.”
Percy nodded grimly.“She’ll apologize to you,” I started, but he cut me off.
“No. She needs to keep her distance. I’ll make it clear to everyone that I’m not available.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Howwill you do that?” I asked, but I already knew.
His chin jutted out. “I’ll merge with someone. A Protector. I’ll… I’ll take a mate, if I must.”
The realm around us went silent, our shocked gasps all that interrupted the tense moment.
It was Righteous who broke the pall. “Bind yourself eternally to another soul, just to make a point? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard you say, Percy. Let’s go get a drink.” He dropped a kiss on my head, then grabbed Percy. They’d already flown away before any of the rest of us could react.
“What was that about?” Sunny asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.
Mikhail hummed under his breath, then spoke slowly, as if he was carefully choosing each word. “Righteous has lived through a somewhat similar experience, I believe. Unwanted attention. When my sweet soul assaulted him in Sanctuary?”
I sputtered, then blew a raspberry, remembering how I’d kissed Ry when he’d been a basshole to Sunny. And me. And everyone. I had almost ruined his life, and ended up almost dying when he couldn’t be purified. “Yeah, I guess I see where she gets it from.”
Sunny nudged me with her foot. “To be fair, Ry deserved all that smut you covered him with. He was a real jerk.”
“I still shouldn’t have kissed him without his consent,” I mumbled.
Mikhail made a thoughtful sound. “A very similar story. Though Righteous’s ended happily.”
I couldn’t see how this story could possibly end well, though. Precious had driven Perception to the end of his rope, and I wasn’t certain if she understood how badly she’d botched things up.
Hope groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I think I need a drink.”
